Princess Mononoke Element Cycle Book 1
by 4fireking
Summary: What happened after the Forest Spirit. When Ashitaka is told he has to return home but he decides to stay in Iron Town? This is a book series telling you what will happen. There is new characters, new locations, and San and Ashitaka's love story will finally be told the way fans want to know.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Mononoke.

**Princess Mononoke was one of my favorite movies of Hayao Miyazaki. I've been meaning to write a fanfiction of it but didn't know where to start so I sat down and thought real hard about how to start. I guess it wouldn't take place during the movie because it would just be copying Hayao Miyazaki's story. I want to see Ashitaka and San's relationship after the movie. I hope they don't make a sequel in the film franchise otherwise this fanfiction will be useless. Please read, review, and be awesome.**

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The Forest Spirit lost its head and the world was almost consumed by its body looking for that head. A young Emishi prince named Ashitaka and the feral but beautiful wolf girl of the forest San gave the Forest Spirit back it's head. The Forest Spirit got rid of it's evil water stopping it from destroying the land and gave everyone a field of grass. The smog lifted, the iron was destroyed, the lakes were restored, but the trees wouldn't grow back. The Kodama, who showed up in peaceful and protected forests were gone. Only a few remained. One day they would return after Ashitaka rebuilds Iron Town.

Ashitaka talked to Lady Eboshi. It was amazing how happy she was to see him after he foiled her plans and lost her arm. She wasn't at war anymore with the Moro Clan, Boar Clan, and any human clan that were rude and opposed her. She lost many of her cohorts when the Great Forest Spirit attacked Iron Town. Her henchmen Gonzo lost his position as her number one henchman after the battle and gave that position to Ashitaka. Ashitaka didn't like everyone thinking of him as one of Lady Eboshi's henchman. He only agreed to this position so he could help the villagers rebuild.

The curse that almost killed Ashitaka he was starting to miss. He missed the strength the curse gave him. He could lift anything big in this village, push a door that required ten men to open, and survive wounds he couldn't have if he was an ordinary man. Yukal was glad his cursed body was healed. Yukal was a red elk Ashitaka used instead of a horse. Yukal was Ashitaka's only friend when he left his village for a cure. Finding friends on his journey was hard. There was Jiko-bō a wandering monk and mercenary he met who was close to Ashitaka, but he was responsible for the Forest Spirit's beheading. He didn't act alone but he was the leader. Ashitaka would make sure the forest got justice for what Jiko-bō did, but if it wasn't for Jiko-bō he wouldn't be cured.

"Ashitaka, can you help us?"

Toki with four other ladies who worked the bellows and her husband Kohroku were riding on top of a cart. The cart contained pieces of wood longer than a six foot tree branch. The five ladies were waving to Ashitaka. As Toki described him, Ashitaka was cute at first but turned out to be gorgeous. An anonymous boy who works hard was a glowing chance for each of the woman. They flaunt their joy every time saw him. They even let him do work in the bellow, holding onto their kimono's and laughing. So far the relationship between him and San, as they hear it, isn't official so there's still a chance one of these former prostitutes would take Ashitaka to their bed, and the only bed they had now was the grass. Ashitaka finally walked up to the cart and picked up the wood.

" Looking good," Toki said giggling as Ashitaka carried the wood to a spot a village said was his home before he left it to the Forest Spirit and stuck the wood in the dirt. " Now all we need is iron and we'll have real homes."

" We can't use iron anymore, honey cake," Kohroku said making all the five woman even his wife glare at him. " Hey, I'm not saying Lady Eboshi caused all of this. I'm just saying if the forest creatures weren't happy from the start why did we persist on using something other than...you know...iron."

" You were an ox driver!" Toki accused pointing her finger at Kohroku. He shuddered every time his wife gave him that look. " If you don't like it than you can sleep outside."

" Come on, sweet'em. You wouldn't let me sleep in the cold ground, would you?" Toki raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms, and everyone else including Ashitaka laughed. " Would you?"

This is where Ashitaka wanted to stay for his new home. He was no longer a prince, but he had a good control of his destiny. Strange to think of this as his new home. It wasn't like he could just forget about his village, his sister Kaya, and everyone he knew being raised. He never thanked them for their help. What he didn't know was one of them found him.

" Prince Ashitaka." He recognized that voice. It was hoarse and sick like he had a cold. He was someone Ashitaka knew growing up and was his mentor. Toki saw him and wondered how he could even ride a horse with his body the way it was. Ashitaka turned and froze.

" Ji-san." Ji-san was an old bearded man in red robes with a turnip hat. He bowed to his prince Ashitaka. " It's good to see you...completely cured. He was right. The boar Nago's curse is gone."

" Ji-san...I don't want you to think it's rude, but why are you here? I thought I wasn't allowed to go back to the village."

" Wait, you know this guy?" Toki asked pointing at Ji-san and then at Ashitaka. " You're a prince and he banishes you? You should be banishing him!"

" It's alright, Toki. The village was doing what was right."

" The village is no more. It needs you, Ashitaka. Your sister is gone."

**I know having two author is kind of strange but I wanted to clear a few things after reading this. I know this story has unnecessary information and I used wikia to get the names of these characters, Princess Mononoke Characters, but I didn't use the information in the sheets or give a description of what they look like in there so it's okay, right. Now that I have finally written a Princess Mononoke story, not really a story you want to read, I guess I'm going to be moving on to stories everyone might want to read. Thanks for reading this story, cool dudes and girls. I try to get one hundred views everyday and you helped reading this chapter. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

By: Soul Raider 116 using starter material from 4fireking

I like this beginning. I think all collaboration stories should start like this. Anyways, this author is going to publish this same story on her account. I want everyone to know that I gave her permission. But I'm still keeping this story on my profile. And if there's a rule that says she can't keep this story there than I have no choice but to ask her to delete it. I'm not going to delete my story first. This is a message from 4fireking.

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><p>Ashitaka moved away from the growing group of men and women who had occupied the former Iron Town. Their gazes were flicking back and forth between the Emichi prince, the old man, and one another as they murmured, keeping their neighbors updated on the fresh gossip about the man who had saved their lives. A prince! Who would have guessed it? The former brothel girls were aquiver with the thrill of it, each dreaming of their very own prince charming to carry them even further from their previous life. The bellows was a good site better than a brothel, but to be royal was a dream come true!<p>

Casting a look at Toki that clearly let her know he did not wish to be followed by the throng of villagers, Ashitaka lead Jii-san to the waterfront where only a short time ago the Forest Spirit had fallen and died. As he sat, his legs tucked neatly beneath him, the former prostitutes observed from a distance, noticing how regal the posture seemed.

Trying to ignore the murmurs behind them, the prince turned his attention to the elder before him, only to see the man had scooped a handful of water and was preparing to sip from his cupped palm. While the water might be safe, there was no guarantee that the malevolent energy that the Forest Spirit had unleashed across the land after it's head had been taken hadn't seeped into the cool looking waters upon it's demise, "Evil has been in that water."

With a start, the old man stared at the clear, refreshing liquid he now held nearly to his lips, a grimace of disgust coming to his lips and he held out his hand with a sigh, spilling its contents back into the cursed waters. He really was quite thirsty, having made the trip as quickly as an old man dared. The grimace turned into a grief stricken expression as he was reminded of the reason for his haste, "Ashitaka, I want you to know I never wanted you to leave Emishi. But you had no chance of living staying there."

Patiently the prince waited for him to finish, for it was obvious there was more to say. After all, Jii-san had already mentioned that the village was no more. While the old man paused, Ashitaka barely registered Toki calling for Gonza to keep the Iron Town villagers (particularly the women) away from the meeting while she and Kohroku made the guest properly welcome. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, but was only a few moments, the watchman concluded, "The council...they're all dead."

" What about Hii-sama?" Ashitaka tried to remain calm, though his voice quavered as he spoke, leaning closer to Jii-san. " What happened to her?"

"The wise woman is unfortunately dead, Ashitaka," Jii-san paused again, letting the bad tiding settle in, unable to meet the prince's eye as the young man's expression grew steadily more concerned, "She died two days after you left from a stroke...at night when the rest of us were sleeping."

It was just as those last words were being uttered that Toki made her way past the crowd trying to catch some hint of what was going on with Ashitaka and proceeded into the meeting, giving a warning look to Gonza as he tried to stop her. She was showing their guest hospitality, and she wasn't about to let that oversized lapdog stop her! Kohroku followed closely, stopping just behind his wife as the outspoken woman handed a drinking bowl to Jii-san, "Forgive me for the way I was suspicious of you earlier. Any friend of Ashitaka can't be so bad."

Eagerly the watchman accepted the bowl, lifting it to his parched lips and sipping, though a bit too hastily as a small amount tried to force its way down the wrong way, causing him to let out a ragged cough. Toki and Kohroku exchanged worried glances, and even Ashitaka seemed to show mild concern as the hacking fit lasted a few moments before the old man lifted the bowl once more, taking a smaller sip this time before speaking, "Thank you for your water. Ashitaka has told me how evil has touched your water and made it undrinkable."

"Thank my wife for being so considerate," Kohroku said, his tone so sweet and adoring that it immediately caused said bride to wonder whether he was just sucking up to her.

"Aren't you going to give him that rice in the Furoshiki cloth like I asked?" Toki arched a brow as she tested her theory with the question. If he'd done something stupid, for instance eating the rice intended for their guest, then he was sucking up for sure!

"That was for him?" Kohroku blinked with marvelously feigned innocence.

With her own eyes mimicking his actions, Toki's fists balled in anger, trembling at her sides as she forcibly reminded herself that she loved Kohroku, and she need him to drive the oxen once Iron Town was rebuilt. Thus, she managed to abstain from actually crashing her fist into his skull, "I love you, but you are a complete idiot sometimes. How you can live without me baffles me so much it makes me want to laugh and hang my head in shame."

Seeing the marital dispute, Jii-san was at first unsure of how to react; should he try to offer words of comfort, helping the couple reconcile; or perhaps he should simply assure them the rice was not needed, despite how famished he really was. A quick glance was given to Ashitaka, in hopes of getting some clue as to how to react to his friends, but the prince was simply smiling and Toki; a bemused, sympathetic and understanding expression. It was then that the watchman realized this was a common occurrence, another way for the wedded pair to show their affection. The realization was followed with a warm chuckle, that soon turned into a hearty laugh. Soon enough the others were chuckling along.

The laughter couldn't last for long, however, and they were soon reminded of their grave situation when Kohroku cleared his throat and spoke up, deciding they had wasted enough of Ashitaka's time with his amusing marriage to an overbearing ex-prostitute, "If you want us to, we can go right now…"

"Stay," Jii-san invited the pair, making up his mind on the spot that he liked them, and that they might be important to whatever fate had in store for young Ashitaka, "If you are friends of Ashitaka, then you should hear this information too."

A glance was cast to their comrade, silently seeking his confirmation that it was alright for them to stay, and only once the prince had nodded did Kohroku and Toki sit next to one another, facing the Emichi men, "After you left the village, a spy used night as a cover and destroyed all of our weapons. He was an expert at what he did. When he left, the weapons looked completely fine; these men in red and white, an army, charged down our hills and took us by storm. I watched everything...the slaughter of our people...in the watchtower. The soldiers never knew where I was hiding.

All the while that Jii-san was speaking, Ashitaka's face was growing dark, a strange expression creasing his features that Toki and Kohroku couldn't recall having ever seen before. Pain and anger swirled into one ugly emotion as he imagined the horrified screams of his people, and the fact that he hadn't been there to protect them. His eyes narrowed fiercely, then with a gasp they sprang open as he locked a sharp, pleading gaze onto the elder, "Kaya! You didn't see Kaya's body back in the village, did you?!"

"Who's Kaya, Ashitaka?" Toki asked, her tone delicate yet full of fear and concern. Clearly this girl was someone important to the prince, someone he cared deeply for. Her mind raced with possibilities, from family member, to a lover he'd been forced to abandon when he'd been banished.

"I'll answer that," Jii-san murmured softly, thinking it easy enough to answer Toki's question and Ashitaka's at the same time. He drew a deep breath, steadying himself for a difficult reply, "Kaya is Ashitaka's sister, his younger sister if I might point out. He left her behind, the same as everyone else in the village, after he was banished. I never found her body...but she may have been there. Those soldiers...they burned our village down after the massacre...along with the bodies."

Silence hung thick in the air as the heavy response settled over them. Ashitaka's hands trembled in fists upon his lap, a fear and anger like he hadn't felt since the curse had been lifted filling him. Toki and Kohroku exchange glances full of sorrow and concern for their dear friend. This was not what a reunion should be.

As the solemn atmosphere settled into place, it radiated to the crowd that Gonza had been keeping in line as best he could. Slowly the villagers began to trickle off, going back to the tasks they had abandoned. Whatever was being said, they had finally realized, was none of their business...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After a while of waiting for help from Soul Raider 116 I finally finished it. This chapter is short. If I didn't have a busy life it would be longer, but I do and I'm sorry about that. But I'm sure more stories were shorter than this one. Please read and review.

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><p>There is a forest not named because it was destroyed. When the spirit of the forest tried to get back it's head the forest was destroyed. The forest was remade...emptier from the animals leaving. Only one tribe of animals stayed in this forest hoping to bring it back to it's glory. Her name is San and she was with her brothers. San's brother's are wolves, her mother was a wolf, she speaks the language of wolves to the animals, but San's blood is human. No matter how much San looked human or sounded human her heart would always believe she's a wolf.<p>

No one liked the wolf girl. She killed many of Iron Town villages for what they were doing to the forest. There were some who could never forgive her. Ashitaka was one of the only humans who cared about her. He visited her twice. The first time they didn't know what to do so her wolf brothers helper her. They played a game. The humans would hide and they would find them. The rules were they had to hide together. The brothers, thinking of their sister, acted like they wanted to find her but simply wanted her to have fun with Ashitaka. The second time winter finally came covering the burned ground and broken tree limbs. They played in the snow riding on the wolves. Ashitaka and San have never touched lips or hangs. Every time Ashitaka goes back he hugs San good-bye, nothing more.

San hears noises in the forest. In her coat she takes out a long knife with a red hilt. She put the knife away when she sees it's Ashitaka. " Ashitaka." San smiles. Her smile ceases when she sees him wearing his hood and pulling Yakul by the reins. " You're leaving Iron Town?" San was no longer sad. She thinks Ashitaka was finally going to live in the forest with her.

" San I'm leaving to Emishi Village." San no longer had that smile on her face. " I'm not leaving tomorrow or tonight. I'm leaving when I get back to Iron Town."

" Good for you," San says in an angry tone.

" I want you to go with me." San couldn't believe what she heard. Her cheeks turn red. She felt like fainting. " Not just you. Toki, Kohroku, Ji-san, and Yakul."

San's face turned into a frown. " I'm a wolf. I can't leave the forest and I can't bring my brothers. We would be ripping each other's throats out on the road."

" San." San looked at Ashitaka's beautiful blue eyes again. Near the water they were twinkling. It warms her heart. " My sister is gone...I fear she might be dead. Her name is Kaya. I missed her birthday."

San realizes she's only been thinking about herself and not of Ashitaka's feelings. Ashitaka leaves with Yakul.

" Wait." Ashitaka and Yakul stopped. "You were always nice to me Ashitaka. People like Lady Edoshi and all humans have hurt me. I've only been thinking about the badness in humans and not the good stuff. Maybe seeing you with those humans will show me not all humans are bad."

That was the corniest thing San ever said and it wasn't easy for her. She immediately felt like a fool afterwards. Ashitaka wrapped Yakul's reins around a tree and walked up to San. San was starting to expect something. She expected the moment where Ashitaka would put his lips against hers. Ashitaka put his arms out—unexpectedly—walking closer to hug San. Ashitaka's hugs were warm, but they didn't help her heart.

After Ashitaka hugged her they walked to Yakul. Ashitaka used his strength to lift her onto Yakul's back. " Yakul can only carry one person on his back. You ride and I'll walk beside you."

Yakul acted by himself without Ashitaka giving him orders. He walked towards Iron Town with Ashitaka walking beside him. Ashitaka wasn't holding his reins. Ashitaka was a good person, San was reminded of that every time Yakul obeyed him and never left him. It was a long walk to town. Time would go faster when San went to sleep. She closed her eyes and waited until the warm sound of Kodama jingling put her asleep.

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><p>San was waken up by her body moving to the right. Yakul was stepping on the road. She looked at where they were. She was no longer in the forest. Yakul was walking on the road. When San opened her eyes she saw Toki glaring at her because she remembered what she did. San covered her head in Ashitaka's cloak that was on her back. She hoped this journey would end soon.<p> 


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